I have a T-1 qrp tuner I occasionally use with EFs and EFHWs but mostly use frequency cut dipoles and hex beams with my K-1 without a tuner and was wondering if there was something specific about the KX3 needing an ATU.

The tuner is nice to have, but there is nothing special about the KX3 that requires it...it's just looking for a 50 ohm load like every other modern radio. If you've got a T1 and are happy with it, the only reason to opt for the built-in tuner is to have it built in. I've got a T1, but wanted the tuner in the radio so I opted for it, and will be selling the T1.

I am doing fine right now with the KX3 without a tuner, but sometimes is is convenient to have it built-in when out somewhere and your antenna situation doesn't quite work. I use a Buddistick sometimes, and I can't quite get a good SWR on 30 and 20m outside my local coffee shop .. I suspect a street light pole three feet away.. Anyway, there are cases when you can't string up a wire antenna quite properly, and the tuner helps. I can also use an end-fed long wire and tune on a few bands.. Can't beat that.. If you have the T1 though, you're all set there!

I have an 817nd, and like it. I'll probably get a KX-3 someday. Each has its place. Gotta admit the talk from "The guy with no callsign" about manpack radios brought back memories. Like the time I wound up flat on my manpack back on a frozen creek at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and couldn't get up without help. 43 years ago. Thankfully, after finishing that "Green" school, at least I had an RTO to carry the durn thing when I needed it.

The tuner in KX3 is important if one wants to work portable everywhere when having little time. Assume you are in the center of Helsinki or travel by bike in the Netherlands, have half an hr to lose and and want to make a few contacts. Everything needs to fit in a backpack and the setup needs to be inconspicuous and fast. With the tuner, one can through some random-length wires into a tree and work on bands that are active at the moment.

[...] I am considering a KX3 for the SSB capability. Although I have no interest in or using SSB I can see the advantage of it being available in certain situations.

I am a CW-only op, but I do knock the dust off of the mic once in a while. I have an attic dipole and choose to limit my SSB output power to about 50 watts due to RFI. I rarely make any SSB contacts at all and DX is almost nil. On the other hand, with CW I seem to work DX at will (about 200 countries confirmed), even at QRP levels.

Does anyone really use QRP SSB consistently? I must be missing something here...

Does anyone really use QRP SSB consistently? I must be missing something here...

Yes, I think a lot of people do. I don't - I've had exactly one SSB QSO since getting my KX3 in November. But a lot of the SOTA folks operate SSB only at QRP power levels. I'm on the FT817 Yahoo Group, and a lot of those folks seem to operate SSB only also.

Yup!! I'm one of those KX-3 SSB guys. I had a blast in the contest over the weekend..especially on 40. A couple shy of 60 countries worked in the contest at 5 watts.SSB is my main mode now and I really enjoy the KX-3's features on SSB.

Yup!! I'm one of those KX-3 SSB guys. I had a blast in the contest over the weekend..especially on 40. A couple shy of 60 countries worked in the contest at 5 watts.SSB is my main mode now and I really enjoy the KX-3's features on SSB.

to N4OI....Many thanks Ken. I had an interesting contact this morning on 40 meters ay 0956 UTC...I heard a very weak station saying "up 5"....when I finally identified who it was- TX5K- The Clipperton Island DX-pedition....I gave him a call at 7184.77 Mhz...I tried 22 times...YES!! 22 timesand finally got TX5K.....with ONE WATT on SSB...And I'm in the TX5K's online log.Talk about LUCK and the use of a good antenna...No! I'm not bragging....I was totally surprised to even hear TX5K at that time of the day here when conditions have been so poorly. Best regards and many 72/73.Don sr. -- WA2TPU -- SSB QRP HERE!!

You guys are missing out a lot not using CW with a KX3! I have even made contact using 100mW! Sure, it's frustrating to learn sometimes and takes a lot of time, but the rewards are worth the effort. It took me six months to become somewhat proficient. I use CW 95%+ of the time. 5W CW works as well as 100W SSB, simply because the power in SSB is spread over a much larger bandwidth. I bought a $2 microphone on Ebay for it and it works fine for the very few times I use phone. The KX3 is first and foremost a CW machine, in my opinion. The filtering down to 50Hz is absolutely amazing. I would have bought one even it it didn't have SSB. Hey, a KX2 would be great!

This doesn't add anything to the discussion, just sort of an update. I posted earlier that reading this thread inspired me to purchase a KX3. I later posted that it was everything it was cracked up to be. And, after owning it for about three months now, my opinion of the radio has only gotten higher.

I initally hooked up my only antenna directly to the KX3 so that I could use the rig's internal tuner and in the process disconnected all the other rigs in my station. I found that I enjoyed the KX3 so much, I left it that way for about two months. I have always dabbled in QRP, but never real seriously. The KX3 pushed me over the edge. Not just because it is a terrific rig, but it was the first time I did a LOT of QRP operating and I found that I simply didn't need to run more than 5 watts on CW. Once I realized that, there was no turning back. I have since put the station back in order so I can use any radio I want, however I still use the internal tuner on the KX3 by putting my Palstar AT-Auto in bypass mode. However, I still have only used another radio one time since buying the KX3. I have been thinking about buying a new 100 watt HF transceiver for months now. I listed the features that I thought were a must for the new radio. After looking at the list, I realized that everything on the list, the KX3 had. Doesn't make a whole lotta sense to buy a new rig I guess.

In the first 57 days I owned the radio, I worked 100 DXCC entities and just got my QRP DXCC. I guess this doesn't say anything at all about the radio but is an endorcement for QRP power and simple wire antennas. I have made a number of contacts running 50 mw: I competed in the NAQCC milliwatt sprint using the KX3 and managed 18 contacts at 50 mw. I have used the KX3 on JT65 as well as PSK. 5 watts didn't really seem to hurt too bad.

I own a K1 as well as a KX1. I don't really see a comparison between the K1 and the KX3. For what it is, the K1 is a fun little rig, but the KX3 is in a whole different league. One is a pretty barebones rig while the other one is a full featured radio. I am not about to sell the K1, but it isn't a KX3 by a long shot.

Logged

I thought you said this was a weak signal mode ? I HAVE a weak signal and he still didn't hear me.

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